Rail joint



May 4 1926., 1,583,426

W. P. SINGELTARY RAIL JOINT Filed Jan. 26. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mom Patented May 4, 1926.

I unites srars rs I leans T rise-1 WILLIAM F. srnennranr, or AsnnvrLLE, NORTH CAROLINA.'

RAIL JOINT.

Application filed January 26, 1925. Serial No. 847.

To all whom itvnay concern:

I I Be it known thatjl, VJILLIAM P. SINGEL- securely support 7 ends of rails with which it is assembled and ticularly at that will securely hold therail ends" againstrelative displacement and yet permit of expansion and contraction through temperature I changes.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide a rail joint of such construction that the two companion members comprising the same will be firmly laterally braced and parportion opposite the point where the two rail ends will meet, so that the rail joint members will' be capable of withstanding any severe strains to which the rails may be subjected and thus eflectually prevent springing of the joint or any lateral displacement of the rail'ends with respect to each other.

Another important object of the invention is to so construct the companion members of the joint that they will be efiectually braced against sagging at their portions which extend between adjacent ties and which portions support the rail ends where they meet, thereby providing against any with the openings 5, lsso secured wllh reladownward deflection of'the rail ends and, as

stated, any sagging of the members of the,-

oint. 1 Another object of the invention is to provide a rail joint, the members of which will be so constructed as to firmly and securely bind against the base flanges of the rail ends soas to provide against any play between the rail ends and the joint.

Another important ob 'ect of the invention is to soconstruct the members of the joint that they will effectually supportthe heads of the rails and thus further provide against any downward deflection of the rail ends.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the rail joint embodying the invention applied to the meeting ends of two rails. V s 7 Figure 2 is a vertical,- transverse sectional 'the joint.

view through the joint and rails taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the ends of the rails to be supported and connected by Figure his a fragmentary sectional perspective view illustrating one of the members of the joint and the end of one of the rails.

In the accompanying drawings, the rails to be joined are indicated in general by. the

numeral 1, each rail comprlsing the usual head 2 web 3, and base flanges 4. lhe rails at their ends are provided with bolt openings and the openings in one rail, which openings are indicated by the numeral 5,,are of circular contour and of a diameter to more or less snugly receive the shanks of the securing bolts which are indicated by the numeral 6. The corresponding openings in theother rail, which openings are indicated by the numeral 7, are of substantially ellip e tical form, as shownin Figure 3, and"the openings in the two rails are formed of the different contours stated in orderto permit of such slight longitudinal movement of the 1 rail which is provided with the openings 7,

with relation to the'rail which is provided wlth the openings 5, as is necessary tocommentioned rail is therefore, permitted to have slight longitudinal movement in the rail joint of the present invention whereas the first mentioned rail which is provided its head 2 cut diagonally, as indicated by the numeral 8, so that the heads of'the rails will pensate for expansion and contraction of the rails, it being understoodv that they second meet on a diagonal line, thereby providing 7 for smooth passage of the wheels of rolling stock over the rails, the right angular ends of the base flanges and webs, however, effectually preventing any shifting ofthe rail ends toward overlapping position as would be liable tooccur if the ends of the rails were cut diagonally from top to bottom.

The, members of the rail joi'ntembodying the invention, indicated in general. by the numeral 9, are of counterpart construction and form and hence a description of one will suffice for both. Each of the members 9 comprises a base. 10 which is flat upon its upper and under sides and of a width slightly less than one-half the width of the base flange 4; of the rail to be supported. A reinforcing web 11' is integral with the outer longitudinal side of the base 10 and occupies a vertical plane and extends both above and below the plane of the base, and the upper edge of the reinforcing web 11 is inclined downwardly from a point midway between its ends to finally merge at its ends with the upper side of a bearing flange 12 which extends inwardly from and is integral with the inner face of the said reinforcing web 11, the bearing flange 12 being inclined upwardly and inwardly from the said web and overlying the upper side of the base 1O in spaced relation thereto, the inclination of the flange 12 being such that the rail base flange will be snugly accommodated between the base 10 and the flange 12, the

under side of the rail base flange resting firmly upon the upper side of the base 10 and the under side of the flange 12 bearing firmly against the upper side of the rail base flange.

The lower edge of the web 11 is inclined upwardly from a point midway between its ends to finally merge with the under side of the base 10, and it will be evident that the portion of the flange which is of greatest height is located at a point substantially midway between the ends of the joint member 9 and, therefore, opposite the ends of the rails when the joint members are assembled with the rails, so as to effectually strengthen the joint members at this point. A short bracing and reinforcing web 13 is integral with and extenos between. the inner face of the upper portion of the web 11 and the outer face of a cheek piece 1 which is integral with and extends vertically from the upper side of the flange 12, the web 13 aeing likewise integral with the upper side of the said flange 12 and com stituting a reinforcement between the web 11 and the cheek piece 14. A web 15 is formed integrally with the inner face of the lower portion of the web 11, in a plane with the web 13, and likewise is integral with the under side of the base 10 and serves to effectually brace the base 10 with relation to the reinforcing web 11. If desired, a reinforcing bead 16 may be formed upon the outer face of each reinforcing web 11 to extend vertically thereof opposite the webs 13 and 15.

t will be observed that the cheek member 14 is spaced. outwardly from the inner edge of the flange 12 and will consequently be spaced from the web of the rail.

The. m ne a 1 in a es Mail h e pperting shoulder hiah..-is f 851 .iatfigrlia with and extends longitudinally of the upper edgeof the cheek member l l and this shoulder has its upper face 18 transversely inclined inv a, downward direction toward that side of the joint member which is presented to the rail, the shoulder projecting laterally beyond the face of the cheek member 14. which is presented toward the web of the rail, as indicatedby the numeral 19, and the inclined faoelS of the said shoulder 17 seating firmly beneath the adjacent side of the head of the rail, as clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. In order to add mass to the shoulder 17 and render the. same more substantial, it is preferable that the shoulder be extendechas at 20, beyond the other face of the cheek member. 14;. The cheek members 14 of the j oi-nt members? are formed with bolt openings 21 to accommodate the bolts 6 and it will be understood at this point that when the bolts 6 are tightened, the edges of thefianges 12 and the edges of the projecting-"portions 19 of the shoulders-1'? will be drawn firmly against the opposite sides of therail webs and, like wise, the shoulders 17 will wedge beneath the opposite sides of the heads of the rails, the inclination of the under. sides. of the flanges 12 and the upper sides of the shoulders being. opposite, as. clearly shown in Figure 2.

In order that the joint members may be secured to the ties, the web 11 of each member is formed with an integral outstanding lug 22 having spike openings 23 therein, and preferably, the lugs are reinforced, as at 24, by portions integral with the upper sides thereof and with the outer faces of the respective webs 11.

From the foregoing description of the invention, it will be seen that there is provided an exceptionally efficient rail joint which is of such construction as to possess maximum strength at the points where it will be subjected to the greatest strain, thus preventing any downward deflection of the ends of the rails which it joins. It will also be observed that when the bolts 6 are tightened, the joint members wedge against the opposite sides of the rail ends and between the upper sides of the base flanges and the the under sides of the heads, thereby adding great strength to the joint as a whole. It will also be observed that the bases 10 of the joint members extend beneath substantially the entire under surface of the base of the rails so as to support the same in a substantial manner.

In order that the nuts 6 upon the bolts 6 may be conveniently tightened and removed respectively in applying and removing the members of the joint, the extensions. 20 of the Shoulders 17 are formed in their under sides with rece ses ind accommodate the nut engaging head of the wrench usually employed in tightening such nuts.

It will be observed that the under sides of the lugs or extensions 2:2 are in the same plane as the under sides of the base portions 10, so that they rest flat upon the upper sides of the respective ties and consequently the joined ends of the rails are afforded the same firm bearing or sup-port as is afforded by the ordinary tie plates which are disposed betweenother portions of the rails and the ties over which the rails extend.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is: 1

1. A rail joint consisting of a pair of counterpart members each comprising a base to support the base of a rail, a reinforcing web integral with the base and extending along the outer edge thereof and projecting above and below the same, a bearing flange extending inwardly from the said web and above the said base, in spaced relation to the latter to engage over the base flange of a rail disposed upon the base, a cheek mem ber upstanding from the said bearing flange, a web extending upwardly from said bearing flange and having engagement with the reinforcement web and cheek-member intermediate the length thereof to brace the reinforcement web, and a rail head supporting shoulder extending along the upper edge of the cheek member. 7

2. A rail joint consisting of a pair of counterpart members each comprising a base to support the base of a rail, a reinforcing web integral with the base and extending along the outer edge thereof, a bearing flange extending inwardly from the said web and above the said base, in spaced relation to the latter to engage over the base flange of a rail disposed upon the base, a cheek member upstanding from the said bearing flange, and a rail head supporting shoulder extending along the upper edge of the cheek member, the said reinforcing web being increased in height from its ends to its intermediate portion.

3. A rail joint consisting of a pair of counterpart members each comprising a base to support the base of a rail, a reinforcing web integral with the base and extending along the outer edge thereof, a bearing flange extending inwardly from said web and above the said base, in spaced relation to the latter to engage over the base flange of a rail disposed upon the base, a check member upstanding from the said bearing flange, a rail head supporting shoulder extending along the upper edge of the cheek member, the said reinforcingweb bemg increased in height from its ends to its intermediate portion, and areinforcing web integral with and extending between the said cheek member and the said intermediate portion of the first mentioned reinforcing web.

, 4:. A rail joint consisting of a pair .of counterpart members each comprising a base to support the base of a rail, a reinforclng web integral with the base and extending along the outer edge thereof, a bearing flange extending inwardly from the said web and above the said base, in spaced relation to the latter to engage over the base flange of the rail disposed upon the .base, a cheek member upstanding from the said bearing flange, a rail head supporting shoulder extending along the upper edge, of the cheek member, the reinforcing web extending above and below the base, bracing webs extending inwardly from the extended upper and lower portions of said reinforcing web and joined to the, bearing flange and base, the upper bracing web being also joined to said cheek member and disposed directly above the lowerbracing web, and a reinforcing rib formed vertically upon the outer face of said reinforcing web opposite said bracing webs.

5. A rail joint consisting of a pair of counterpart members each comprising a base to supportthe base of the rail, a reinforcing web integral with andextending along the outer longitudinal edge of the base, a bearing flange integral with and extending along the inner side ofthe said web and likewise integral with the base, a cheek memberextending upwardly from the said bearing flange and longitudinally of the same,- a rail head supporting shoulder extending along the upper edge of thesaid' cheek member, a reinforcing web integral with and extend- 7 ing between the intermediate portion of the first mentioned web and the outer face of the cheek member, .and a reinforcing web integral with and extending between the under side of the base and the inner side of the intermediate portion of the first mentioned reinforcing web.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WILLIAM P, SINGELTARY. [1,. s.] v

1 lil- 

